The Arkansaw traveler., 1887-11-05
THE SECRET SERVICE.
BY ALBERT DE LEUR.

In the early part of June, 1862, a small sailing sloop was making it's way under the shelter of the land towards one of the numerous bayous between Mississippi City and Biloxi, on the Mississippi sound, in the state of that name. The two persons that composed the crew were evidently desirous of avoiding the observation of a large Union gunboat, which was leisurely steaming about three miles from shore, in the direction of Deer Island. She had been changing her course several times during the after noon, apparently undecided whether or not to run in shore and pick up the little sloop. A cat's-paw of wind filled the sail of the vessel, and put ting her helm to starboard, the point of the bayou was passed and safety from the pursuit of the Yankee steamer was found in the shoal waters of the small inlet. Running the nose of the pigmy into projecting bank, one of the occupants jumped on shore and tied her securely to the trunk of a tree. Judging from the few words that passed between the persons on shore and his shipma.e, they were evil dently Spaniards, and close scrutiny would have revealed the fact that they were decidedly dark dagos, wearing the costume so prevalent among boatmen of that nationality living in the states of Mississippi and Louisiana. Their boat proved by it's freight of groceries, etc., that theirs was commercial excursion, and the northern gunboat would have had a valuable prize if she had thought it worth the trouble to capture them.
 Having secured the vessel so as to prevent any possibility of its floating away, the two men busted themselves in preparing their evening repast, and when in the act of eating, the loneli- ness of their surroundings was broken by hail from some one on land who, in southern dialect, shouted: Where are you fellows from?" The elder conveyed in very broken English the information that they came from Lake Ponchartrain, had been in Miss issippi City, were bound for Biloxi, anxious to dispose of their merchsn- disc at fair prices, and in possession of a sailing pass, signed blythe Confed- crate authorities of. Mississippi City. The information appeared to be satis- factory, as the interrogator stepped on board the craft, and with evident relish partook of the contents of a suspic- ious-looking bottle without evincing symptoms of mistrust toward the crew of the sloop. Being offered cigar, he became confidential and told them that he had a comrade who was in the neighborhood were a part of a scouting party belonging to the Third Mississippi volunteers, and that their colonel had portion of the regiment stationed at Biloxi; that groceries, especially liquors, were scarce around there, and that in his opinion the sloop's owners would have no diff culty in disposing of their cargo upon reaching their destination.
 "But be very careful" he added, 1.-two of the Yankee gunboats are skulking around every night close in shore and may capture you."
 Expressing their thanks tor the kind advice given, in polyglot which required many gestures to make intel ligible, the occupants were relieved of the company of the Mississippi soldier and appeared to be somewhat rejoiced at his departure, and well they might have been, as they were two secret service officers, in the en- ploy of the United States govern ment, engaged in man-hunt.
 A n-commissioned officer of northern regiment, of German birth and more than ordinary intelligence, had been left behind on Ship Island, in the Mississippi sonnd, when the troops of General B. F. Butler de- parted for New Orleans this man had been employed as confidential clerk to the colonel of his regiment, and had in that capacity gained knowledge of en important nature as to the future movements of the Union forces in the southern states. He was an able ma chinist, and one night, some two weeks before the evening the sloop made her appearance in the bayou, had stolen little dugout and pad died himself across the sound to